Portuguese Way from Vigo (5 stages)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to carry my luggage during each stage?

  Not if your trip has luggage transport: it is included in group trips, trips with a dog and VIP trips, and on all other trips you can add it as an optional service when booking. We take care of transporting your luggage from stage to stage. You only need to carry what's necessary for walking during each stage, making your journey much more enjoyable.

• I need to cancel my reservation.

  You can cancel your trip free of charge up to 15 days before the start date, with no need to give any explanation.

  • 15 days or more in advance → refund of 100 % of the amount paid, with no penalty. The refund is processed within a maximum of 7 days.
  • Less than 15 days → Between 15 and 8 days before: 50 % of the total amount. 7 days or less → 100 % of the total amount.
  • No-show → no right to a refund.

  If you have taken out the Cancellation Insurance, you must inform us regardless of how many days' notice you give, but you have to handle the refund process with the insurer yourself.

  Transfer of the booking: if you cannot travel, you can transfer it to another person at no cost; we only need you to let us know far enough in advance for us to arrange it. In that case, payments are settled directly between clients.

  The client is responsible for any additional cost arising from the cancellation.

  ⚠️ IMPORTANT: every cancellation must be notified by email: info@viajescaminodesantiago.com (cancellations are not processed by phone).

  👉 More info: Booking conditions.

• How many stages does the Camino from Vigo have?

  There are 5 stages through Redondela, Pontevedra, Caldas de Reis and Padrón to Obradoiro, through the Vigo estuary, forests and vineyards.

• How do you get to Vigo to start the Camino?

  Vigo has its own airport (Vigo-Peinador), a high-speed train station and good bus connections, being the largest city in Galicia.

• Does the Camino from Vigo qualify you for the Compostela?

  No. The Camino from Vigo covers 99 km to Santiago, just below the minimum of 100 km on foot that the Pilgrim's Office requires to obtain the Compostela. If you want it, start in Baiona or Tui: we have trips from both.

• What to see in Vigo on the day I arrive to start the Camino?

  Spend the afternoon in the old town (casco vello). Find the Calle de las Ostras, where oysters are opened right in front of you and served with an Albariño from the Rías Baixas. From the old town, the Mercado da Pedra and Monte do Castro, where the city was born, you get the best views of the estuary. If you have time left, stroll along Calle Príncipe or head down to Samil beach. The next day you set off along Rúa Urzaiz.

• Are there dangerous sections between Pontevedra and Caldas de Reis?

  They're not dangerous, but they do require attention. Leaving Pontevedra you cross the river Lérez and pass the Marismas de Alba, a large wetland full of birds. From there the Camino crosses roads and railway level crossings several times, so look carefully before crossing and don't walk with headphones on. The rest of the 21 km stage is gentle and shaded by oak trees.

• What to see in Padrón on the last night before Santiago?

  Padrón is full of Camino history. The church of Santiago keeps the Pedrón, the stone where, according to tradition, the boat carrying the Apostle's remains was moored. It's also the land of Rosalía de Castro, and you can visit her House-Museum. Have some Padrón peppers for dinner (some are hot, some aren't) and get to bed early: the next day, leaving town, you pass the collegiate church of Iria Flavia on your way to the Obradoiro.

• What do you see on the stage from Vigo to Arcade?

  It's the most maritime stage of the trip: 23 km with the Vigo estuary almost always in view. Along the way you see the Cíes Islands in the distance, the Morrazo peninsula opposite, the huge Rande bridge and the San Simón inlet, with its island, wetlands and small beaches. You also pass the Rego de Fondón waterfall and, in Redondela, join the central Portuguese Way. You finish in Arcade, the oyster capital.

• What to see in Pontevedra if I arrive with time to spare?

  You'll have plenty of time: the stage from Arcade is the shortest of the trip, just 12 km. After Santiago, Pontevedra is the city with the richest heritage on the Portuguese Way. Don't miss the church of La Peregrina, the city's symbol, the Royal Basilica of Santa María la Mayor and the Ruins of Santo Domingo. Then wander its stone squares: for many, it's the prettiest city in Galicia.

• Is the detour to the Barosa waterfalls worth it?

  Yes. On the stage from Pontevedra to Caldas de Reis, near Briallos, a detour of just half a kilometre takes you to the Barosa Waterfalls: a drop of around sixty metres with fourteen old mills along the river. It's one of the most beautiful natural spots of the trip and takes very little time. Then you carry on to the spa town of Caldas for a relaxed afternoon.